Tell Me I'm Pretty
by psychokid
Summary: Reid creates tension between him and Emily after getting drunk, but before he can straighten things out, a new case comes up, and Prentiss is kidnapped. Lame summery. Prentiss/Reid pairing.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Criminal Minds

**A/N**: Just a little something that popped into my head. That's right, another drunk!Reid story…just couldn't help myself. Mild Prentiss/Reid. I might continue this, might not, not really sure. Reviews are appreciated.

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Emily Prentiss was not easily flattered, especially not by drunks. Having moved around a lot as a kid, always the 'new kid' she had been the object of attention for many young men looking for an easy night with someone they wouldn't have to commit to, and she had been very good at ignoring them. She had heard all the sloppy, slurred, pick-up lines, the generic compliments on beauty. There really wasn't anything a drunk guy could do to get her attention.

This, however was a little different.

First of all, he wasn't just some drunk guy. He was Doctor Spencer Reid. The team had managed to convince him to go to a bar with them, and then had gotten him to drink, a rarity. However, they hadn't just gotten him to drink, they had gotten him drunk, and they now faced the consequences…

"She is!!! She'sssoooo pretty…Emily…yersooo pretty…di'ya know'at?" Reid slurred, gesticulating wildly, looking in Prentiss' general direction. Prentiss felt her cheeks heat up, full well knowing that everyone was now watching her and Reid.

"Reid…please shut up…" she groaned, pushing his face away when he leaned in to hear her better. He mumbled incoherently against her palm, before giggling idiotically. Hotch was watching, with a look akin to shock on his face. He could handle his agents acting a little off at times…but this was almost too strange for him. Just then, Prentiss shrieked, pulling her hand away from Reid's face. Hotch shook his head, standing up as Prentiss wiped her hand on Reid's shirt sleeve.

"Dave…let's get a cab…I don't want to be around when he does something I can fire him for," said Hotch, grabbing his coat. Rossi nodded empathetically, standing also, but as he turned to Reid and Emily, he was grinning.

"Have fun kids." With that, Rossi and Hotch left, Rossi laughing hysterically, and Hotch merely shaking his head as they walked away. Reid watched them blankly, before giggling again. Prentiss frowned, and turned to him, trying not to glare.

"What are you laughing at? You just scared Hotch and Rossi away!" He only giggled harder, nearly falling off of his barstool. Prentiss could hear Morgan and Garcia desperately trying to hide their own laughter, and failing miserably at the task.

"Di' you see Hotch's face?!" Reid laughed, falling forward, his head hitting the table with a loud _thwump_. He buried his face in his arms, laughing so hard Prentiss was afraid he was going to pass out. She shook him, none too gently, to get his attention.

"Reid? No…over here…there you go. You need to-" before she could finish, and drunk, sly grin crawled its way onto Reid's face, and she stopped abruptly, a little taken aback to see such a look on Reid's face. "What?" she asked slowly.

"Yuuuurrrrrrr pretty."

With that, Morgan and Garcia burst out in laughter, grabbing one another to keep from falling to the ground. Prentiss could only sit and fume, sure that if she tried to talk, she'd end up screaming at them. After a few moments, they finally ended their fit of hyperventilation, standing up straight.

"Okay, okay….Alright, Mama, I'm going to take you home to your man, so Prentiss can work things out with Reid," Morgan said. Garcia nodded, still letting out little hic-ups of laughter. Prentiss' eyes widened, and she stared at the two, feeling betrayed.

"You guys can't leave me here with him!!!" But-it was too late. Morgan and Garcia were already headed out the bar. Prentiss grit her teeth before turning to Reid, grabbing his roughly by the shoulder.

"What the hell is your problem?!"

Reid's head tilted to the side cutely, still grinning. "Dunno what'yer talkin' 'bout," he slurred. Emily rolled her eyes, rubbing her hand over the side of her face. It was strange what a couple of beers and some wine could do to a person's intelligence.

"You were flirting with me…In front of the entire team," she bit out, trying to hold her anger in check. Yelling obviously had no effect on Reid while he was drunk, and she didn't want to draw any more attention to them. Reid frowned, seeming to ponder what she said. Prentiss waited, hoping that she had gotten through to him.

"Nuh uh."

Prentiss forced herself not to scream in frustration. As it was, her grip on Reid's shoulder tightened, and he whimpered, his lower lip sticking out in a pout. She leaned close to him, giving him a glare that made it's way past Reid's drunken state enough to let him know that she was _pissed_.

"Jus' said you look pretty," Reid muttered, looking away dejectedly. Prentiss let out a sigh, letting go of Reid's shoulder, feeling slightly guilty now that he looked like a kicked puppy. This was _Reid_. He didn't have a lot of experience, as far as she knew, with women, and had never really been able to act in accordance with what was considered 'normal.' Being drunk must have thrown what little social grace he had out the window, she surmised. He'd probably just said the first thing that had come to his overstuffed brain. She had, after all, dressed up, choosing a black, short-sleeved, V-neck dress over her usual attire.

She must have been quiet too long, and looked too miserable, because Reid looked up, his eyes wide with uncertainty. "Em'ly…r'you mad because I think yur pretty?" Reid whispered. Prentiss sighed, running her fingers through her hair. Why did he have to go and sound so miserable? Standing slowly, Prentiss grabbed his shoulders, gently helping him get to his feet.

"Come on, Reid, let's get you a cab," she said. Reid's eyes got impossibly wider, his jaw dropping.

"I'm soooo s'rry Em'ly! I di'n' mean it…wait…that makes it soun' worse…I did mean it….but I di'n' mean to make you mad…" Prentiss continued to lead Reid out of the bar as he continued to apologize, taking out her cell, and calling the cab. When they had made it to the side walk where the cab would pick them up, Reid was still babbling apologies. She carefully turned him so he was facing her, and then pushed his chin up with her hand so he was semi-focused on her face. She leaned forward, and gave him a quick kiss on the lips before leaning back to stare at his shocked expression.

"Reid…calm down…I'm not mad. But…if any of the others ask, I am."


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Criminal Minds

**A/N:** Yay, I decided to continue it! It shall continue to be pointlessly stupid, just as it will also continue to be Prentiss/Reid. Really, it's the only het pairing I can do, and not just because I think Prentiss is hot …Also, it seems to be turning into a case fic, but don't expect much, because I'm really not all that clever. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this. Review please!!!

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Reid groaned as his alarm clock went off, the shrill, repetitive beep sounding about ten times louder than it really should. He wondered for a moment if he'd hit his head, but then vaguely remembered going out for drinks with the team. Realizing he must have gotten drunk, Reid groaned again, pulling himself out of bed, wincing as the light coming in from his bedroom window struck his eyes, intensifying his headache. He took his shower, and got changed. He put on his glasses instead of his contacts, since he was running a little late. Taking a few pain relievers, Reid made his coffee, and then headed out the door for work.

The headache persisted the entire time he was on the loud, crowded subway, and for the first time in his life, he wanted to punch a baby, who was crying insistently a few seats away. However, by the time he'd walked into the building, the pain killers had begun to work. Reid returned the smile he received from the woman at the reception desk, and the wave the girl from counter-terrorism gave him. He said hi to the three women who greeted him in the elevator…but he really wasn't sure what to do with the glare he got from Prentiss as he walked into the bullpen.

Just as Reid was wondering what he could have done to make Prentiss angry, Morgan walked over to him, grinning mischievously.

"So, how'd it go?"

Reid frowned, pursing his lips together. He'd already figured out he had gotten drunk, which was unfortunate, because he already knew he didn't act particularly normal as it was, and alcohol only made it worse. So, logic dictated that he'd probably acted a little off the other night. However, he couldn't remember any of the events that had taken place the previous night.

"You're going to have to fill me in on however stupid I acted last night, which, by the way, is your fault for making me drink in excess in the first place." Morgan laughed, shaking his head.

"Maybe you should ask Emily." Morgan discreetly pointed at Prentiss, still grinning.

"I'd rather not…I'm pretty sure she formulating ways of murdering me and disposing of my body, if the look she gave me when I walked in was any indication," Reid replied, matter-of-factly.

"I don't see why she would want to do that. After all, you made sure everyone in the bar knew how pretty she was. This, by the way, includes the rest of the team, and some federal employees that were there." Reid's eyes widened, and he stared at Morgan before glancing over at Prentiss, who was engrossed in a report.

"I-I didn't….I mean…oh god…." Reid moaned, putting his face in his hands. Morgan simply laughed at his predicament, and walked away to his own desk, shaking his head. Reid downed the rest of his coffee, and then started on his paperwork. Maybe, if he acted as if it hadn't happened, it wouldn't be such a big deal. Right, like that would work. Even if Prentiss didn't rip his head off, Morgan would never let him live it down, despite the fact he couldn't even remember doing it.

Reid finished his paperwork early, probably due to the fact he didn't get up to talk to the others at all, like he usually did. He was too wrapped up in forcing himself to focus every little bit of attention on his reports so he wouldn't think about what he might have said to Prentiss. He glanced at the clock, dismayed to find he still had a few hours to go before he could leave. All he wanted to do at this point was to go home and sulk.

Reid glanced around at his desk, looking for some work to do to pass the time. He bit his lips together as he stared at his empty coffee mug…but he'd have to pass Prentiss to get to the coffee machine. Inwardly, Reid scowled at himself. She hadn't actually threatened him in any way, she had only glared at him…was he really going to let a glare keep him holed up at his desk all day? Well…yes, but there was no way it was going to keep Spencer Reid from getting his afternoon coffee.

He risked a glance at Prentiss, and seeing her absorbed in her work, he hurriedly got to his feet, rushing past her to the break room. Luckily, Morgan wasn't there to see him scamper in, and therefore wasn't there to tease him. Garcia, on the other hand was. Reid cringed as she chuckled at him, but set about getting his coffee with grim determination, frowning deeply as he poured the coffee and sugar into his mug.

"Well, you're not dead, so she didn't kill you…" Garcia began in a light-hearted voice. Reid turned to her, and tried to mimic the stern, serious expression that Hotch used when trying to get Garcia to be serious. It must not have worked, because Garcia continued in the same tone. "Does that mean you two kissed and made-up?" Reid's expression turned to one of shock, his jaw dropping, his eyes widening.

"W-we most certainly did not!!! I mean…kiss. We most certainly did _not_ kiss," he said determinedly. Garcia laughed again, much to Reid's chagrin, but now she sounded slightly sympathetic.

"Honey, I know, okay? I didn't really think she'd kiss you, it's just fun to tease." Garcia then left, too fast to notice the change in Reid's expression. He stared at the spot she had just been, his chest tightening painfully. Of course Prentiss wouldn't have, but that didn't mean Reid needed Garcia to point it out. Reid took a slow drink of coffee, the bitter taste of the caffeine mixing with the too-sweet taste of the sugar. Reid focused on the taste, ignoring the little voice in his head telling him all of the reasons Garcia was right. Reid turned around once, and walked sullenly to his desk, ignoring the death glare Prentiss shot his way.

Sitting down, Reid took a couple more drinks from his coffee before he began to obsessively rearrange his desk. Really, he didn't have any more paperwork, so there wasn't anything else to do. Rossi noticed, and walked over, his eyebrows quirked upward.

"You okay?" he asked bluntly. Reid glanced up at him briefly, before moving his sticky notes to the other side of his desk.

"Yeah, I'm fine…" he muttered, opening a file and going over the contents briefly before shoving it back into the drawer.

"So Prentiss didn't kill you…"

"Could you please leave me alone?!"

He hadn't shouted all that loudly, it was a squeak more than a shout, really, but it was enough to get Rossi's attention. He put his hands up defensively, and walked away slowly, shooting Morgan a glance that clearly said, 'I wouldn't bug him if I were you,' as Morgan began to get up from his desk. Ignoring the warning, Morgan got up and walked over. Prentiss watched worriedly, feeling guilty for letting Reid get so upset, but not willing to talk to him in front of everyone about it.

"Kid…" But before Morgan could continue, or Reid could tell him to leave, JJ's voice carried over the bullpen, shutting them both up.

"We've got a new case."

Reid and Morgan exchanged looks, and then Reid grabbed his bag, and they both headed towards the briefing room. Soon the rest of the team had assembled in the room. JJ handed out the case files, before going to the front of the room, standing in front of the screen, on which the images of a several women were displayed.

"It's in Helena, Montana. So far, there have been three victims: Abby Wilson, Erin Paulser, and Carrie Riley. They were found in secluded areas, and all three worked at the state capital building there. Abby Wilson was a secretary. She was last seen leaving work at nine pm, but her car was found in the parking lot."

"If he took her on her way to her car, there should be witnesses," said Rossi. JJ shook her head.

"It was late, and despite it being the state capital, there aren't that many people there. The abduction was caught on tape, but the images are too vague to identify the unsub. Erin Paulser was abducted on her way home from work that day, and so far we haven't found any witnesses to her abduction. Carrie Riley was also walking home.

They were all found three days later. Coroner placed her time of death at three in the morning, and she was found five hours later," she paused, clicking the remote to bring up another picture, which depicted Abby Wilson, face down, with her hands laid parallel to her body. "No signs of sexual assault. The cause of death was a stab wound to the chest. Post mortem…her face had been…ripped off…" another click, revealing what remained of her face; mostly blood, and bone. "She was found at Green Meadow Lake, partly hidden by some bushes. "

Reid leaned forward, frowning as a few pictures of the crime scene came up. "He would've had to either drag her down that hill, leading to the dump site, from his car, or drive in…but even then, he would have had to carry the body several yards."

"True…he must have a reason for dumping the body there." Rossi glanced at his file before he continued. "Where were the others found?"

"Erin Paulser was found on the steps of the Cathedral, and Carrie Riley was found in a local park."

"Sounds like remorse…" Reid muttered, opening his file to look at the crime scenes. "He didn't just dump them somewhere. He took time, and risked getting caught to put them there."

"Right. He also put them facing down, to hide the damage done to their face," Hotch added.

"But why rip off their faces in the first place?" Morgan asked.

"The unsub probably feels like he's been in some way wronged by the victims," Reid offered. Morgan nodded in agreement.

"He takes a new victim every two weeks, so we need to get there as soon as possible. We'll talk more on the jet. Wheels up in thirty."


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Criminal Minds

**A/N:** Well, here we go. I know absolutely nothing about profiling, save what I get from the show, so please bear with any errors, or overly obvious statements. Also, please forgive my sense of humor, if you notice it. If you have any suggestions, I would greatly appreciate them, especially concerning what you would like to happen between Prentiss and Reid. Review please (the reason this chapter took so long is because I've never written a case fic and I have absolutely no idea what I'm doing)! And thank you all for all the reviews and stuff you've given me!

**Warning**_**:**_ Violence, blood, gore, mentions of rape, ect. Also, get this: a member of the team is in danger, but…holy cow, it's not Reid!!!

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As the jet made its way to Montana, files were reviewed, and theories presented. Slowly, a generic profile presented itself; white male, late thirties to mid-forties, aggressive, paranoid. However, this described a large percentage of the men in Helena. They all knew that they wouldn't get much further on the profile till they examined the crime scenes, so as it began to get late, the team broke apart, each of them going to a separate part of the plane to read their reports, or go over theories in their own heads.

Reid sat in the back, pouring over the case file. He glanced up briefly as Emily approached him, but didn't turn his attention to her until she sat down next to him. He tore his eyes from the report to look at her. It didn't escape his attention that she looked slightly uncomfortable. _Shit_. He couldn't even remember what he'd done the other night, and yet it looked like it was going to compromise his friendship with her, and, if Garcia and Rossi could be believed, there was a chance he was going to suffer physical harm also. Knowing that he wasn't very good at finding the right thing to say to mend a situation like this, he decided to attempt to avoid the uncomfortable conversation it seemed she was about to initiate.

"There was plenty of physical evidence found, including DNA. No matches were found when it was run through the system…" Reid muttered, flipping through the pages in his file. He lingered on a photo of one of the women. "He's likely to make a mistake soon; with this level of disorganization…hopefully we'll find him before that. Carrie Riley was the last victim, and she was found two days ago, so we should have another ten days before he takes another victim."

Prentiss seemed to forget her planned conversation with Reid, going straight into profiler mode. "Right, assuming that he sticks to his schedule. If he is disorganized, which he appears to be, then the abductions weren't planned. He wasn't a stalker." Reid bit his lip, tapping his fingers against his thigh.

"Your right…he could be picking up whoever fits his victimology; dark-haired women, all working at the capitol building." Reid closed his file, rubbing his eyes. "But only one was actually a politician…" Reid shrugged, shaking his head as he leaned back in his seat.

"If he didn't stalk them, it's possible he didn't know their jobs in the building….listen, I need to talk to you." Reid glanced up towards the front of the jet, where most of their team members were sitting, before reopening his file, frowning down at it.

"This isn't a political killing, but I think you're right. He's targeting women who work there, probably due to anger directed at the government." He purposefully ignored the last part of Prentiss' statement. What was he supposed to say? 'I'm sorry I told you that you're pretty, even though I don't remember doing it.' Even with his lack of social grace, Reid had a feeling that was definitely not the right thing to say. Prentiss let out a loud sigh, prompting Reid to look up at her. He was slightly surprised to see that she didn't look angry with him. Mildly annoyed, yes, but not angry.

"Reid…I'm serious, last night-" she began, but Reid interrupter her, waving his hands in the air.

"Emily, we've got a case!" he hissed, glancing up at their colleagues at the front of the jet again. "Could we talk about it later? I promise to properly apologize and do whatever else is necessary to resolve the situation, but I don't think this is the right time. I know you're probably not too happy with me, but it'll have to wait till we solve the case." Reid noticed the look of disappointment on her face as she stood and walked away, but didn't comment. As quiet once more settled over the jet, Reid slouched into his chair, closing his eyes. At least she wasn't sending him death glares anymore. Still, the tension between them had become palpable, and all Reid wanted was Prentiss' respect, maybe her friendship. Maybe more. It didn't look like he was going to get any of that now. Reid tried to ignore the empty feeling in the pit of his stomach as the flight continued.

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Early the next day, they arrived in Montana. They went straight to the Helena Police Department, instead of the hotel, eager to begin the case. They were rudely herded into a corner that had been cleared away after a terse discussion with the Chief of Police.

"Reid, you and Morgan head over to the crime scenes. Prentiss and JJ will start interviewing the victim's friends and family. Rossi, you and I will stay here and start working on the profile."

Reid nodded, and headed out the door with Morgan. Settling into the SUV, there was a tense silence as Morgan started the car. "The nearest crime scene is the Cathedral…take the next turn. Right, there it is." Reid said as they drove past an elementary school. The large, rather beautiful church came into view, the tan stone and red roof towering over the surrounding buildings.

"Geez, Reid. I hope you know you sound like a GPS system," Morgan muttered as they parked in front of the steps. Reid got out, ignoring Morgan's comment as he walked up to the taped off area. He ducked under the police tape, and then stooped down over the blood stain that was still present on the steps.

"Morgan, come look at this…there was a lot of blood," he said, frowning down at the steps as Morgan walked up. "The actual murder site must not have been too far away…and he must have brought her here immediately after stabbing her…she might have still been alive," he added, glancing up at Morgan, who was surveying the scene with his arms folded over his chest.

"Still alive…you sure Reid?"

"Just look!" said Reid, gesturing at the blood stain.

"The reports say her face was taken off postmortem…Reid, if they were still alive when he brought them here…" Reid nodded, standing up.

"I know…but…it doesn't fit with the profile. We'll have to look at the other dump sites...his positioning might not have been remorse, if he brought them here first…" Reid trailed off, shielding his eyes against the sun as he looked around. "He would've had to kill her right here; in plain view…there aren't any blood trails, just this one spot where the body was…" He shook his head. "Let's go to the next crime scene. We should go to the Carrie Riley's next; it's just a few minutes away." Morgan nodded, and they left.

Reaching Womens Park, the two got out once more. Morgan frowned as he walked under a large stone arch that was the entryway to the park. He waited for Reid, and then gestured at the blood stain. "It's the same thing here…and right out in the open. He could have gone into the park, under some trees for cover, but instead he killed her right here, by the street."

"This is weird…maybe it's not just the government workers, not just the women. Obviously he takes his anger out on them…but the crime scenes…maybe they're for the cops. He might be trying to show them that he's smarter than them."

"So, he hates the government, and police. Any sort of authoritative figures," said Morgan. "Still doesn't explain why he's taking such a risk killing them here, instead of where he's holding them." Reid nodded in agreement, heading back to the SUV.

"The first crime scene, Abby Wilson's, was a little more hidden. It's outside of town, and there were plenty of trees around. She was his first victim…maybe we'll find something more at Green Meadow."

However, the scene there had been cleaned, so all they had was photos of the blood stain. Looking around the trees, Reid ran his fingers through his hair, letting out a frustrated sigh.

"Morgan…something's not right. He went from killing in a secluded area; to killing out in the open after just one victim…no one would have seen him down here, in the middle of the night. He must be devolving…his killings are sloppy, with plenty of physical evidence left behind; he's taking unnecessary risks."

"The risks must be giving him some sort of satisfaction. He didn't rape the victims. The stabbing was probably a substitute for that. The guys impotent. Killing women out in the open is probably the only thing he can do to satisfy himself."

"Which means he won't stop."

Morgan nodded. "We'd better get back to the station and tell the others."

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After an hour in rush hour traffic, with frustratingly bad drivers, Reid and Morgan made it back to the police station. They brought Hotch and Rossi up to date once they got there, before Reid began working on a geographic profile. A few minutes later, he frowned, hearing Morgan swearing on the other side of the station. He turned around just as Morgan came stomping over to them, flipping his phone shut.

"Neither Prentiss, nor JJ are answering their phones."

"What?!" Rossi yelled. He stared at Morgan for a moment, before turning to Hotch, whose eyes shone with worry despite the calm mask he wore.

"Alright, it's probably nothing…still, we'd better go and look for them. Reid, you stay here and continue working with the geographic profile-"

"What?!"

"Reid, calm down. We're going to find them. Morgan, you call Garcia, and see if she can trace their cell phones." Morgan immediately picked up the phone heading out the door with Rossi and Morgan.

Reid stood for a moment, staring at the door, holding back the panic that threatened to force it's way out of his throat in a scream. He turned back to his map, staring at it blankly. JJ…she was his best friend, his godson's mother….what would he do if…? And Prentiss? God, he hadn't even gotten to apologize to her, not that he'd known what he would've said. Still…

His phone rang several minutes into his attempts to make sense of the geographic profile. He pulled out his cell, saw it was Morgan, and flipped it open, putting it up to his ear.

"Did you…?" Reid let the question hang in the air, gripping his phone tightly as he waited for Morgan's response. There was a pause in the line before he answered.

"Reid…we found JJ…but Prentiss is missing."


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer:** I still don't own Criminal Minds.

**A/N**: Still have no idea what I'm doing. Hopefully you will all enjoy my mindless rambling. Comments, suggestions, and constructive criticism is greatly encouraged. Oh, and I am so, so, so, sorry for what happened with chapter two. I have no idea how it happened, but for some reason it was replaced with a chapter from Comfortable. I hope I didn't confuse (or mentally scar) anyone. It's fixed now, and once again, I'm really sorry about that.

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"Missing?" Reid repeated dumbly.

"Yeah, and JJ is unconscious. I'm taking her to the hospital now. Hotch and Rossi are staying at the scene to look for leads." Morgan's voice was strained, and he paused before continuing. "There isn't any evidence to suggest it's the same guy, but it happened when they were walking out of the capitol building, and she fits the victimology."

"All of the other women were alone, and they were abducted in the evening…but this guy keeps on taking bigger, and bigger risks."

"Right. This means we don't know what his next move will be…Reid, Hotch wants you to put together a profile, and give it to the cops, and tell them what's going on. Sorry to stick you with so much work, but…"

"I know, Morgan. When JJ wakes up ask her about the unsub. Call me if anything comes up, okay?" There was a pause on the line, and Reid heard talking in the background before Morgan answered.

"Okay, will do kid. Don't worry, man, we're going to find this guy, and get Prentiss back." There was a click, and then the line went dead. Reid hung up, and glanced around. The cops here didn't like the FBI presence as it was…he doubted they'd feel very good about _him_ bossing them around. He took a deep breath, and then walked out.

"Hey…um, everyone…." said Reid. No one paid him any mind, naturally. He swore internally. He didn't need this right now, not when Prentiss was missing, so he tried again, a little louder. "I NEED EVERYONE'S ATTENTION!!!" Everyone stopped at once, and he stood there silently for a moment, trying to make himself look as authoritative as possible. "Uhm….While interviewing some friends of victims, agent Emily Prentiss, and our media liaison, Jennifer Jureau, were attacked. He left agent Jureau, but agent Prentiss is currently missing, and we believe she was abducted by the same unsub-"

"What the hell is an unsub?"

"It stands for 'unknown subject.' We believe the unsub who took those three girls took Prentiss…which means we need to hurry. Therefore, my supervisor has asked me to give you a rough profile."

All mumblings ceased, and Reid was relieved to have all of their attention without having to fight for it. He took a deep breath before he began. "The killer is a white male, late thirties to mid-forties. He has trouble with any authority figures, including cops, and government agents. He doesn't have an arrest record, but you all might have seen him; he's of average, to low intelligence, and is prone to violence. He might have refused to pay taxes in the past, and, although he spends most of his time alone, he'll be known for being loud, and outspoken. Something tied in with the government or police force set him off recently, possibly the arrest of a loved one. Don't approach the suspect without proper back-up. He's already very unstable, and it's likely he will react violently to police force."

Reid paused. For once, he was unsure of his own profiling skills. Was it because he was alone now? Or was it because Prentiss was in danger? Either way, there was so much at stake. "He's killing these women where their bodies were found, out in the open. He thinks he's smarter than the police, but really, he's just lucky, and out of control. His behavior has been getting more and more bold. He's going to continue to take risks, but he will flee if he sees a police presence, so you will need to use unmarked cars." He nodded, signaling that he was done. The police officers turned, going about their own business, leaving Reid to himself.

Reid went back to the corner where the team was set up, feeling oddly drained. How were they supposed to find a suspect off of that profile? Unless they got lucky, it was likely the only way they were going to find the unsub was for him to make a mistake, which wasn't going to be good for Prentiss…

Reid spent the rest of the afternoon and the ensuing evening having Garcia look for possible suspects, going through tax records, doing any, and everything…but to no avail. He received a call from Morgan, explaining that JJ had woken up, and that she was fine. However, she couldn't remember what had happened. When Hotch, Rossi, Morgan, and JJ returned the next morning, he was standing in front of the evidence board, having never left the station. He turned to see them entering the station, looking grim. A quick look at JJ confirmed that she was okay, although there was a slight bruise on her forehead.

"Hey guys…." Reid said meekly. He ignored Morgan's worried expression, turning to Hotch. "Anything new?"

"Unfortunately, no." Hotch replied.

Reid explained to them what he'd told the police, and the others agreed on his profile.

"Me and Garcia have been going through…well, pretty much everything…can't find anyone that-" he paused to yawn before continuing. "Can't find anyone who fits the profile …" Reid turned around to pick up a file, leafing through it absently. "Someone needs to interview the victim's friends and families still."

"Reid's right. Rossi, you and Morgan go ahead and do that." They complied easily. Once they were gone, Hotch turned to Reid, speaking gently, but firmly. "Reid, why don't you go to the hotel and get some sleep." Reid rubbed his eyes, shaking his head.

"No, thanks…I'm a little tired, but I think I'm close to finding something here…" his voice trailed off as he paused, looking down at the file in his hands. Truth be told, he wasn't really close to finding anything at all, but he knew Hotch wasn't going to let him stay unless he was. True to form, Hotch nodded in agreement.

"Alright. Tell me if you find anything." Hotch turned and left, along with JJ, leaving Reid alone with a stack of useless files. As they walked away, Reid stared down at Carrie Riley's autopsy report. There had been bruising, lacerations, indicating she had been beaten…she'd been stabbed, and had her face torn off…As soon as Hotch and JJ were well out of the building, Reid swore loudly, unable to restrain himself. He ignored the odd looks the nearby cops gave him, running his hands through his hair. After a brief moment of debating whether or not he should scream, he went and got a cup of coffee.

The day ended with no new leads, meaning she had been gone for more than twenty-four hours. Reid avoided eye contact with his team mates as they headed out to the hotel. He knew they were worried about Prentiss, but he honestly couldn't understand how they could just go to crawl into a warm bed and go to sleep, not knowing where Prentiss was, or what was happening to her.

Reid was on his umpteenth cup of coffee when he started feeling slightly dizzy. He ignored his body's need for food and sleep, intent on working till he found Prentiss, hopefully alive. The station was mostly empty, save for himself the sparse night shift. Most of the cops were out on the streets, in unmarked cars, looking out for anything suspicious.

As his phone started ringing, he pulled it from his pocket. He frowned at the unfamiliar caller ID before answering. "Hello, this is Doctor Reid."

"R-Reid? Please….I-I…you need to hurry…"

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**A/N**: Sorry for leaving it off this way. I'll probably have the new chapter up around Wednesday or Thursday, depending on how much Calculus homework is thrown in my face. Till then, thank you for reading.


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Criminal Minds.

**A/N**: Sorry it's so short. I've got a thesis paper to write, and a senior project to do…soooo…yeah, I might be a little slow with the next few chapters. I will try to get them up asap though. Also, I just started writing another fic, so I'm sort of going between the two right now.

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It took Reid approximately ten seconds to process that he was hearing Prentiss' voice on the phone, despite the fact he didn't recognize the caller ID. Once he understood that, the time it took to react was negligible. He grabbed one of the station's phone, and dialed Garcia's number, all the while talking to Prentiss.

"Emily, where are you, what do you need me to do? Are you okay? Emily, where are you?" He almost couldn't stop talking long enough to let her answer. As it was, it felt like his thoughts were moving too fast for his mind to process. It was hard enough to form any coherent sentences with the flurry of nonsense moving through his brain. He heard Prentiss let out a shuddering breath, and he nearly dropped the phone as a tremor ran through his entire body, making his hands shake.

"I'm…on Ninth Avenue…Please, Reid…" Well, she knew where she was, so there was no need for him to trace the call. He hung up the phone before Garcia could answer, focusing all of his attention on Prentiss. "I-he's going to be here soon…I don't know how long I can stay here, Reid…"

"I know, don't worry, I'm on my way…Can you give me an address, Emily?"

"Y-yeah…1317 Ninth Avenue...Reid…" she sounded confused, and a little groggy. Reid wondered for a moment if she had been drugged, but none of the autopsies had revealed any trace of drugs in the victim's systems.

He grabbed a random cop, and pulled the receiver away from his lips. "I need you to get all available officers to 1317 Ninth Avenue, as soon as possible, okay?" He didn't wait for a response as he pushed the doors open, sprinting out of the station. "Alright, Emily, I'm heading there now, but I have to hang up to call Hotch and the others, and tell them what's going on, okay?" he tried to keep his voice calm and reassuring, despite the fact that he was shaking so bad he almost didn't get the keys into the ignition.

"Okay…"

"You call me right back, okay? It'll only take me a minute, okay Emily?" He heard her take a deep breath, letting it out slowly before she answered. Reid flipped on the SUV's siren's and light's, speeding out of the parking lot.

"Okay…"

Reid hung up with some difficulty before speed dialing Hotch, just as he pulled out of the police station's parking lot. A groggy voice answered.

"Hotch."

"Hotch! It's Reid…I-" _Shit._ Hotch wasn't going to be happy to hear that he was already leaving, on his way to Emily, without any back-up. He'd probably be even more pissed, if possible, once he'd found out that Reid had left without his bullet-proof vest. "Listen, Emily called me, she says that she's at 1317 Ninth Avenue. I'm…on my way there now, and the police officers are getting ready to leave."

"What?! It might be a trap, Reid-"

"I know, Hotch…I just…what the hell do you expect me to do? She said I needed to hurry…" _Shit, fuck, damnit_. He'd be lucky if Hotch didn't fire him after this, but there was no way he was going to wait for the team when Emily was in danger, not when she could be saved, if he hurried. Hotch was silent for a moment, and Reid could almost see his closing his eyes and pinching the bridge of his nose in irritation. However, when Hotch spoke, there was no reprimand in his voice.

"Okay, Reid…we'll be there as soon as we can."

Hotch hung up, and Reid hurried to do so as well, glancing at his phone quickly to check if Prentiss had called while he had spoken with Hotch. Luckily, she hadn't yet, so he focused his gaze back on the road. Was it always this blurry? He ignored the fatigue that was choosing this opportune moment to seep into his body. When the phone rang once more, he flipped it open hurriedly.

"Emily?"

"Reid….please hurry…"

"I know, I know, I know…almost there…" In the distance, Reid could hear police sirens blaring. He drove past the Walgreens, flying through the intersection before he turned left into ninth. He slowed down before he'd gotten to the right house. Emily was standing in the yard, partially hidden behind a group of lilac trees. As soon as she the SUV, she clicked the phone shut. Reid didn't bother with parallel parking, instead he stopped in the middle of the street in front of the large house, jumping out as soon as he'd put the SUV in neutral. Despite the heavy exhaustion that weighted his body down, he ran over to her, shoving his phone into his pocket as he did so.

Reid wasn't surprised that she was walking over to him calmly, as if she hadn't just been kidnapped (and beaten, from the looks of it). After all, she was good at compartmentalizing, she had said so on several different occasions. He didn't run up to her, and wrap his arms around her, and start sobbing in relief, despite how tempted he was to do so. If she could remain calm, so could he. He led her back to the SUV, and drove her to the hospital. On the way, she called Hotch, describing the unsub, his house, and everything else about him with a sort of detached interest. Within an hour, he was sitting with the rest of the team in some god-awful plastic chairs outside of Prentiss' room, after having listened to Prentiss list off a plethora of reasons she didn't need to go to the hospital.

Reid listened to Hotch talk on the phone without really paying enough attention to know what he was saying. Finally Hotch clicked his cell shut. "They've got a suspect in custody." Reid nodded sleepily, only half-caring. The last thought that went through his head before he fell asleep was '_I really shouldn't sleep in such an uncomfortable chair…_'


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Criminal Minds.

**A/N**: This has a lot of stupid humor, but eventually it will get a little more serious…Anyways, I hope you like this. It's about to get a little Reid-centric, despite the fact it was Prentiss that just got kidnapped. Thanks for all the faves, reviews, alerts, ect. They mean a lot to me.

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Reid groaned as he woke up, staring at the cold linoleum that was currently serving as his pillow. He rolled onto his back before sitting up, looking around blankly. It didn't take long for him to realize that he was in a hospital, and then to remember why. He stood, aches and pains from sleeping on the floor for god-knows how long presenting themselves as he did so. Hearing a chuckle, he turned, and glared at Rossi as he sat down in the chair next to him.

"How did I end up on the floor, and why didn't you wake me up?" Reid whined. Rossi let out a low chuckle, folding his arms across his chest.

"You looked comfortable." Reid rolled his eyes at Rossi's sarcasm, but decided to ignore it.

"Whatever. How's Emily?"

"Oh, she's fine. A few bumps and bruises, but nothing serious. Hotch is going to make her take some time off, of course. She'll also have to take a psych-eval before coming back to the field. I talked to her though, and she sounds okay. Also, they caught the guy, he even confessed. Walter Jay. Did Emily tell you how she got away?" Reid shook his head, and then Rossi continued, chuckling slightly. "Guy's a pot-smoker. She waited until he was stoned, and then took off. Turns out his dad was arrested for rape when he was a kid, and he blames the government; something about police and cops 'brainwashing' him. He claims he killed those girls to free the world of 'power-hungry women.' He was…Reid, are you listening? Shit…" Rossi mumbled the last word glancing around. At least no one had seen him start talking to himself. He got up to get some water, and when he returned, Reid was laying on the floor again.

Prentiss walked out of the hospital room, wearing her own clothes, and carrying her go-bag. "Hey, when is the jet…what the hell is Reid doing on the floor?" she asked, stopping just before she stepped on him. Rossi shrugged.

"He fell asleep…I guess the floor is more comfortable than the chair. The jet is leaving in about an hour, if you're good to go." Prentiss nodded, gently nudging Reid with her foot. Reid groaned in protest, rolling over onto his stomach, before relaxing again.

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_One Week Later_

"Reid…."

Reid grunted, turning his head away from whomever it was that was trying to wake him up. A jab to his side made his eyes snap open.

_Shit..._

Reid sat up straight, scooting away from Morgan, whose shoulder he had been using as a pillow. The police officers who had turned to stare at him turned back to Hotch reluctantly. He heard one of the female cops mutter something along the lines of force-feeding him donuts and warm milk, but was too distracted by the subtle (obvious) glare that Hotch was directing at him. Hotch paused for another couple of seconds before he continued explaining what the police force should do if they found the unsub. Reid forced his eyes to stay open throughout the rest of the briefing. Afterwards, Morgan gave Reid a sympathetic look, that clearly said, '_I'll miss you, but I'm glad it's you, and not me_.' Hoping to defer his death sentence a little longer, Reid scampered off to help Rossi go through the letter the unsub had left. As soon as he sat down, Rossi grunted slightly, shaking his head.

"Reid, I can't stop Hotch from killing you. You're just going to have to go talk to him, and take your punishment like a man."

"But-"

"I'm serious, Reid. If you go and talk to him, and explain why it happened, he might be nicer than he would if he has to hunt you down."

"Fine. But, just so you know, I already have it in my Will that you won't get anything if I'm killed by an angry co-worker."

"What the hell do you have that I would want?"

"My recliner and the pictures Morgan took on my camera of you sleeping in it." Reid stood up and left, hearing Rossi swear lightly as he exited the room. He walked towards Hotch, feeling the weight of his impending doom settling over him. Hotch turned, folding his arms across his chest and giving Reid a stern glare.

"The chief of police wants to know if we feed you."

"Hotch, I-"

"Reid, I understand that you have been stressed since the case in Montana, but I need you to be able to do your job. We've got a few suspects, so it's only a matter of time before we solve this case. I want you to home and get some rest-"

"Hotch!"

"Don't argue with me, Reid, it's for your own good. Also, I would advise you to talk to Prentiss when you get home, she should be at home. You're not going to be any use to us until you start getting some sleep." Reid nodded reluctantly, and walked out of the station.

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Reid wasn't sure how it had happened, but once he'd gotten back home at eight, it only took him an hour to get drunk, which was not something he usually did. After his struggle with Dilaudid, he had pretty much avoided drinking entirely. What was even more of a mystery to him than getting drunk in his apartment, was that instead of staying at home, which was probably the smart thing to do while drunk, he wandered out. After awhile of aimless wandering, during which he miraculously not arrested for drunk and disorderly conduct. After being picked up by a cab he gave the driver an address, which was not his own. A short cab ride later, he was knocking at Prentiss' apartment door. Prentiss opened the door, and stood staring at him, shocked.

"Reid, what are you….? Are you drunk?"

"A little bit…youuuurr pretty…"

Prentiss glanced down the hall, as if expecting someone to jump out and tell her this was a joke. However, all she saw was an empty hallway, save for Reid. He was still slightly coherent, even if he was swaying slightly, so he wasn't too drunk. But the fact remained that he was _definitely _drunk.

"How'd I get here?" he mumbled, glancing around. Prentiss let out a sigh, and pulled him into her apartment, forcing him to sit down on the couch.

"Emily, your-"

"Reid!!!"

"Call me Spezer…"

"Spencer, what the hell are you doing here?" she asked, trying to keep her voice gentle. "You're supposed to be in New Jersey with the team."

"Oh…right…Hotch sent me home."

"Why did he send you home?"

"Mmmm…fell as'eep."

"What?!"

Reid answered with a loud snore, his head dropping to his chest. Prentiss ran her fingers through her hair, unsure of what to do. It wasn't everyday that your genius co-worker showed up drunk at your apartment to tell you you're pretty, after getting sent home from work. Letting out a loud, frustrated sigh, Prentiss rearranged Reid on the couch so he was lying down on his side. She got him a blanket, and watched him sleep for a moment before going to bed, unsure of how to deal with the situation. Maybe she could talk to him and figure out what was going on once he had sobered up.


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Criminal Minds.

**A/N**: I thought I knew where I was going with this, but it's not going to work. I was going to drag it out and stuff, but my life has pretty much gone to shit, so I'm going to end this kind of lamely. This will be the last chapter, because I just can't quite concentrate, and I want to get this done and over with. So, yeah, sorry it's sorry this took so long to put up, I've been having computer problems.

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Reid woke slowly; his mind pushing its way to consciousness, even though all Reid wanted was to continue sleeping. After a moment, the initial fog connected with waking subsided, leaving him painfully aware of where he was, and, more importantly, how he had gotten there. Unfortunately, he remembered the events of the previous night, despite the fact he had been drunk. With a solemn vow to never, EVER drink again, Reid slowly pushed himself off of the couch, standing clumsily. He didn't even need to wake fully for the embarrassment to sink in fully. He briefly considered fleeing from Prentiss' apartment, when he heard her shout from the kitchen.

"Don't even think about running, Spencer."

_God damn profilers_. Red let out a sigh, and walked nervously to the kitchen, keeping his head down to avoid eye contact. He sat down at the round little table across from Prentiss, hanging his head and folding his hands in his lap. He wondered if there was anything he could say or do to avoid having this conversation with her, to make her forget he'd gotten drunk and gone to her apartment. Nothing sort of science-fiction based solutions came to his mind, so he simply sat and waited for her to start spouting venom at him.

"Wanna talk about it?"

Reid was so surprised at the amiable tone that his head snapped up, sending a jolt of pain through his head and spine. However, he ignored it, along with the slight hangover he was experiencing. There wasn't any spite or sarcasm in her voice. Was this an alternate universe? Maybe he could make a device to zap her memories from last night away after all. He knew he shouldn't be so surprised at her understanding. Prentiss had always been nice to him, even after all the times he had snapped at her. He swallowed hard, looking down at the table, focusing diligently on the patterns in the wooden surface.

"No, not really…thanks for asking though." He knew he didn't sound quite as thankful for his concern as he truly felt, but he was too embarrassed by what he'd said the other night to explain to her how much her care meant to him. Not after drunkenly wallowing about how pretty she was…_god…_could you really die of embarrassment? Studies said no, but Reid was starting to wonder. He became aware that Prentiss was watching him as he thought, and he felt color rise into his cheeks. Did he have to be so obvious? He stood, hoping to avoid any further embarrassment, but Prentiss shook her head, motioning for him to sit back down. He did so grudgingly, biting his lower lip so hard it nearly bled.

"I talked to Hotch while you were asleep."

"What?!" Reid squeaked, unable to help himself. Hotch was already mad at him for falling asleep at work, if he had found out he'd gone home, gotten drunk, and then shown up at a co-workers…Reid could get a job almost anywhere, but he'd rather keep his job at the BAU than work anywhere else.

"It's okay, Spencer, calm down. I just asked him what had happened Jersey. I didn't tell him about last night." She said it as if to calm him down. Why was she being so nice? He was fairly sure that was the second time she had called him 'Spencer', when she would have normally called him 'Reid.' "Listen, Spencer," make that three times, "I need you to talk to me, and tell me what's going on."

"Nothing's going on," he answered, staring at her blankly. At least, he didn't _think _there was anything going on. Had he done anything to make her worry? Well, besides falling asleep at work and showing up at her apartment drunk…okay, maybe he wasn't acting normal. And, judging from the way Prentiss was looking at him now, her eyes filled with concern, she didn't think he was okay. "I guess I've just been stressed out, since that case in Montana…" Prentiss' eyebrows drew together, and Reid glanced up to see her slowly calculating what he was saying, carefully profiling his words.

"Do you remember anything from the night before we went to Montana?" Prentiss asked. Reid blinked in confusion before he remembered that that was the night that he had gone out for drinks with the team. Oh…that meant she wanted to talk about _that._ He couldn't even remember _that_. But, if it had been anything like last night, which it probably was, but worse, he could understand why she would want an apology. It probably wasn't very conductive to her social standing for her friends and colleagues to see nerdy, awkward Reid flirting with her.

"Uhm…no. But Morgan did tell me I acted like an idiot. A-and I'm really, _really_ sorry I embarrassed you in front of the team." He couldn't erase what had happened, or zap anyone's memory, so the best he could do was apologize. Some unreadable emotion passed over Prentiss' face as she listened to him, and Reid wasn't sure of what else to say, so he hung his head lower, his hands twisting restlessly in his lap.

"Spencer…" six times now. Reid looked up to show he was paying attention. "You weren't acting like an…okay, you were acting a little funny, but I wasn't mad, and I wasn't embarrassed." Reid noted that her lips tightened and her shoulders hunched for a fraction of a second, and the micro-expression clearly stated that she wasn't being entirely truthful. He smiled, but it was a sad smile, and he looked back down at his hands. He was silent for a moment, chewing on the inside of his cheek. When he finally spoke, he looked up at her through his bangs, still smiling slightly.

"You're trying to lie to a profiler."

Prentiss pushed her hair back behind her ears, a nervous gesture he wasn't used to seeing her use. She looked away, staring blankly at the kitchen wall. "Okay…I was a little embarrassed." Reid nodded, mainly to himself, and then pushed himself into a standing position. She looked up as he stood. "I wasn't done talking to you, Reid." Strange, he was back to 'Reid' again, but she didn't sound angry. Reid groaned in protest, but sat back down. Prentiss waited until he had settled down, and then took a deep breath and began to talk.

"You asked me out, after I kissed you, and, even though you were drunk, I'm holding you to the date you promised me."

"What?! No I didn't!"

"Yes you did. Go home and get ready. Pick me up at six. Oh, and bring your wallet, because you promised to pay for dinner."

THE END

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**A/N:** Yeah, really lame ending, I know, but I'm not really good at het, my brain is fried, and I don't really feel like trying too much harder with this one. Sorry it sucks.


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